arms sales

A coalition of faith groups, including Put Down The Sword, Quakers, London Catholic Worker and Pax Christi have come together to call for the UK government to stop its support for arms fairs and arms sales to oppressive regimes.

Despite, or perhaps because of, its history of war profiteering, the arms industry has only been too happy to exploit the legacy of those who have died in conflicts and to brazenly associate itself with their annual memorials, write Andrew Smith and Matthew Burnett-Stuart of Campaign Against Arms Trade.

Today (3 February 2014) five Christian peace activists go on trial at Stratford Magistrates’ Court in East London. They are charged with aggravated trespass. One of the five is Symon Hill, a writer, researcher and activist who is also an Ekklesia associate, assisting us with several areas of work. He was formerly a directorial colleague for a period.

The trial of Christian activists who caused a huge blockage of arms dealers trying to enter the DSEi military equipment show in London in September 2013 will take place on the 3 and 4 February 2014 at Stratford Magistrates Court.

While Anglican priests have been prominent among those opposing the DSEi arms fair in London this week (9-14 September 2013), the largest of its kind in the world, the official silence from the Church of England has been deafening.